Brake-beam



(No Model.) Y

H. B. ROBISGHUNG.

BRAKE BEAM.

No. 549,021. Patented 001;. 29,1895

UNrrnD STATES PATENT Fries.

HENRY B. ROBISCHUNG, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHICAGORAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,021, dated October29, 1895 I Application filed March 26,189'ir serial 1101 505,164. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. ROBISCHUNG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo, State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Beams; and Ihereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a top plan view of one end ofa trussed brake-beam, thebrake-head and collar-partly in section to show my improvements inmethod of securing the head to the beam. Fig. 2 is a central section onthe line on as, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an end view of the beam with headattached, the tension member or truss-rod of the beam broken away. Fig.4 is a central section of the collar, brake-head, and end cap or sleeveseparated on the axial line of the compression member of the beam. Fig.5 is an end view of the end cap or sleeve. Fig. 6 is an end viewof thecollar. Fig. 7is

a sectional view of the head and collar, show ing my improvedconstruction applied directly to the end of an ordinary beam, and also aslight modification in the construction of the head with thebearing-flange therefor on the beam.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur. 7

My invention relates to the construction of brake-beams in general, andhas for its main object to permit an automatic endwise or axial movementof the head on the beam to ease the shock on the head and shoe, due tolateral (or axial) vibration of the beam in curving and under otherconditions arising in the use of brake-beams and brake-heads, and alsoto relieve the flange of the wheel from shock and undue frictional wear;and it has for its secondary object to permit the rotary automaticadjustment of the brake-head to meet any changes in the relation of thebrakehead (or brake-shoe) to the wheel, whether the same be due totilting of thetruck, change of load,change of position of beam to theline of draft, difference in height of beam above the track, (or hangingof beam,) or from any other of several causes well understood b thoseskilled in the art.

To this end the main feature of my invention consistsin the combination,with a brakebeam, of an automatically-yielding brakehead capable oflongitudinal'or axial niovement on the beam to ease the shock due tolateral or axial vibration of the beam.

A second feature of my invention consists in the combination, with abrake-beam having a journal end, of a yielding brake-head capable ofrotary and axial movement on the beam, whereby said head can accommodateitself automatically to change of relation of the brake-head (orbrake-shoe) to the wheel, as well as to lateral or axial vibration ofthe brake-beam.

There are other minor features of invention, all as will hereinaftermore fully appear.

For purposes of illustration I have chosen to. show the presentinvention in connection with a trussed brake-beam and an end capcommonly used in connection with hollow beams; but I wish it to beunderstood that the beam need not necessarily be a trussed structure,nor need an end capbe used, as the particular construction hereinafterspecified for the end cap may be formed on or made integral with the endof the brake-beam.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that othersskilled in the art to I which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates the compression member (or beam proper); B,the tension member, and O the end cap or sleeve of a trussed brake-beam,the compression and tension members A B being united with each other andwith the end cap 0 by inserting the end of the compression member A intothe end cap C, passing the threaded endof the tension member B throughthe end cap 0, and adjusting and securing the'parts by a nut c in theusual manner, so that the end cap to all intents and purposes may beconsidered as a permanent part of the beam proper. This end cap 0 isformed at its inner end with a bearing-fiange 1 for the brake-head D tolimit the inward movement ofsaid head, and in the case of a common beam(see Fig. 7) said flange may be a collar formed with or shrunk on thestructure. In either case it may be beveled, as at 1, Fig. 7, which willserve to keep out dust and also prevent any lodgment of dust or matterwhich might prevent the brake-head from resting directly on thebearing-flange 1.

The outer end of cap 0 is provided with a cotter-hole and cotter 2, orequivalent means of securing to the end of the beam an end collar orannulus 3.

The brake-head D, which may be of any approved form, has a suitableopening 4, by which it is applied to the end of the brakebeam, and itsinner cross-section exceeds the cross-section of the beam, or otherprovision is made to house a longitudinally-acting spring or equivalentmeans for holding the head D up against the bearing-flange 1 with suchelastic or yielding pressure as will permit of its movement in the axialline of the beam under sudden shocks, such as the vibration of the beamon an irregular track or in rounding curves.

When, as in the present instance, a rotary motion of the head isdesired, the end of the beam or the end cap is of cylindricalcrosssection to form a journal, and the opening 4 of the head is ofsimilar cross-section, though of increased diameter to accommodate aspring of spiral form, and is also provided at its inner side with aninwardly-projecting flange 5, which forms a seat or hearing for thespring 6.

6 indicates a spring or equivalent means for seating the head with ayielding pressure, which, if of spiral form, will encircle the journalend of the beam or cap 0, bearing at one end on the flange 5 of thebrake-head D and at the other on a collar or annulus 3, which annulus isof less diameter than the opening 4 of the brake-head and is adapted toenter the outer end of the brake-head opening 4 and confine the spring6, said collar 3 being secured to the end of the beam or cap 0 by acotter-pin 2 or in other suitable manner. This spring 6 will under anycircumstances be of sufficient power to hold the brake-head to its seaton flange 1 under ordinary conditions, and in case the end of the beamis of journal form said spring 6 will be of force sufiticient to exert apressure and friction on the inner flange 5 of the brake-head to preventthe tipping or rotation of the brake-head by gravity or other accidentalforce.

The sleeve or end cap 0 (or end of the beam) and the brake-head D beingconstructed substantially as hereinbefore specified, the head is placedon the cap or end of the beam. The spring 6 is then slipped over the endof the beam within the cavity4= of the head and with its inner endresting on flange 5. The collar 3 is then placed on the end of the beamwith its inner end resting on the outer end of spring 6 and compressingthe same, and is finally secured to the end of the beam by the cotter 2or in other suitable manner.

When the parts are thus constructed and combined, the head will be atliberty to yield in the axis of the beam to accommodate any lateralVibration of the beam and ease both the shoe or head and thewheel-flange, and it will also be at liberty to rotate automatically toadjust itself to any change in the relation of wheel and brake-head,retaining the lastnamed adjustment until the same shall be again alteredby the altered relation of wheel and brake-head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a brakebeam of an automatically yieldingbrake-head arranged to move laterally or in the axial line of the beam,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination with a brake-beam of a laterally movable,automatically yielding rotatable head, journaled on said beam,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination with a brake-beam, of a spring supported axiallymovable brake-head, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4:. The combination with a brake-beam, of a laterally or axially movablebrake-head, and a spiral spring housed within the brake-head,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination with abrake-beam, of a lateral oraxially movable androtatable brakehead journaled on the beam, and a spiral spring housedwithin the brake-head, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6 The combination with a brake-beam having a journal end, of abrake-head journaled thereon, and having an inwardly projecting flange,a spiral spring housed within the head and encircling the journal end ofthe beam, and an annulus orcollar of less diameter than the opening ofthe brake-head which annulus is arranged to bear on the outer end of thespiral spring and is secured to the end of the beam; substantially asand for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 22d day of March, 1891.

HENRY B. ROBISCl-IUNG.

Witnesses:

E. BJLEIGH, E. T. WALKER.

IIO

